Conveyer



Feb. 20, 1934. J'. M. ALvx-:Y Er Al. 1,948,091

coNvE'ER Filed Sept. 24, 1931- 4 Sheets-,Sheet 1 Feb. 20, 1934. J. M. ALVEY ET AL cONvEYER Filed sept. 24 1931 ////l/////////////////////// 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ...Alwf/ f w 2. y ..HHWMH., Ru C v d Ww; /l

Feb. 20, 1934. J,'M. ALM-:Y ET AL.

CONVEYER Filed Sept. 24. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 20, 1934. J. M. ALVEY Er AL CONVEYER Filed Sept. 24

, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 wwf/Waas rra 19A/ K5.

Patented Feb. 2G, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVEYER Application September 24, 1931 Serial No. 564,734

13 Claims.

Our invention relates to conveyer systems of the type wherein articlesare rotated while they are being carried along on a conveyer; and our invention is particularly adapted for use with apparatus for painting articles, such as refrigerating coil covers and the like. In painting such articles in the usual manner as by merely dipping them in paint, it is diflicult to obtain a smoothing finished surface thereon free from drip marks, runs, and the like; and the principal object of this invention is to provide a conveyer system capable of rotating articles while they are being conveyed which may be readily used, for example, with an apparatus for mechanically painting articles which will turn them out free from undesirable accumulations of paint.

Our invention consists principally in means for conveying articles below the surface of paint in a tank and then through a drying oven while continuously rotating them with respect to the conveying means. Our invention also consists in the conveyer and in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and wherein like reference symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the painting and drying apparatus, with the top portion of the drying oven removed,

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower left hand portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross-section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-section on the line 6 6 in Fig. 2,

Fig. '7 is an enlarged view of the cam and cam follower shown in Figs. 4 and 5,

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-section taken through the middle of the spindle head and clutch arrangement for holding articles thereon; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 8.

The construction illustrated, in general, comprises a paint tank A disposed below a oor 1; and mounted on the floor 1 over and around the paint tank A is an open framework B supporting an inverted box-shaped drying oven C. Traveling around the inside of the framework and oven is a continuous sprocket chain conveyer D having outwardly extending article carrying spindles 2. Articles E to be painted, are placed on enlarged head portions F provided on the outer ends of the spindles 2 at the loading point located at the front end of the framework at G. From this point they are continuously conveyed downwardly and dipped into the paint tank A, 00

then upwardly therefrom into and around the top portion of the drying oven and then downwardly until reaching the loading point, where they are removed from the spindles and other articles to be painted rare placed thereon.

The conveyer D, in general, comprises a pair of continuous parallel sprocket chains 3 having cross-frames H mounted thereonl the article carrying spindles 2 being rotatably mounted on the cross-frames H; and operatively connected to the inner ends of the spindles on each cross-frame is an auxiliary cross-shaft 4 carried thereon which is operatively connected to an auxiliary sprocket chain 5 in such manner as to rotate the spindles 2 with respect to the cross-frames H While they are traveling around the apparatus.

The framework B supporting the drying oven comprises corner members 6 secured to the floor 1 and held together at their upper ends by horizontal side members 7 and front and rear cross- 80 members 8. Extending upwardly from each corner of the framework, respectively, is an angle member 9 constituting the corners of the drying oven, and around which, oven walls 10 are built, said walls 10 being supported on the top connect- 95 ing members of the framework.

Mounted across the top portion of the oven are front and rear parallel shafts 11 and 12, respectively. Thes shafts are mounted at their ends in horizontal bearings 13 extending from suitable 90 side members 14 provided on the inside of the oven; and a pair of similar cross-shafts l5 and 16 extending across the lower part of the framework and parallel to the upper ones are mounted in horizontal bearings 17 extending from suitable 95 side members 18 mounted on the lower portion of the framework. Rigidly mounted on the ends of the four cross-shafts are sprocket wheels 19, and the pair of continuous parallel sprocket chains 3 are trained around these sprocket wheels. Suitable front and rear sprocket chain guides 20 and 2l, respectively, are provided along the sides of the oven and framework.

Each of the cross-frames H, which are mounted between the sprocket chains 3 at regular inter- 105 vals, comprise a pair of parallel cross-pipes 22 having their ends mounted in the respective legs of oppositely disposed Y-shaped brackets 23 mounted on the sprocket chains 3. Mounted between the cross-pipes is a series of transverse weblike brackets 24, each having 'an enlarged central portion 25 provided with an opening whose Walls constitute an outer housing 26 for the article carrying spindles 2. The housing is provided with an annular recess 27 at each end, and mounted therein are inner and outer bearing members 28 and 29, respectively, having ball bearings 30 interposed therebetween; and the inner end of the spindle is reduced along the portion surrounded by the bearing members, and a cup-shaped closure ring 31, surrounding the spindle is suitably secured to the inner end of the housing 26 for holding the outer bearing member and spindle in place. The end of the spindle is threaded and a nut 32 assembled thereon holds the inner bearing member in place.

The inner end of each spindle is provided with a bevel gearv 33, and the auxiliary cross-shaft 4 is mounted in a series of transverse brackets 34 extending inwardly from the cross-pipes and it is provided with bevel gears 35 meshing with the bevel gears 33 on the ends of the spindles for rotating the same when the shaft 4 is rotated. Mounted on the ends of each of the four crossshafts 11, 12, l5 and 16 for rotation thereon at one side of the apparatus are small sprocket wheels 36 around which is trained the auxiliary sprocket chain 5; and mounted on each crossshaft 4 are small sprocket wheels 4a which are in mesh with the auxiliary sprocket chain 5.

.The conveyer D and the auxiliary sprocket chain 5 are preferably driven by separate motors 37 and 38, respectively. The motor 37 for driving the conveyer is located on one side of the oven and is operatively connected to the rear upper cross-shaft 12 by means of. suitable reduction gearing 38 operatively connected to a gear speed reducer 40 driven by the motor. The motor 38 for driving the auxiliary sprocket chain is located on the other side of the apparatus. Mounted in suitable bearings 41, extending from a suitable cross-member 42 located a slight distance below the front cross-shaft 11, is an intermediate crossshaft 42a having a sprocket wheel 43 mounted thereon; and a similar sprocket wheel 44 is loosely mounted on the shaft 11 adjacent to the sprocket wheel 36 and connected thereto by a sleeve for rotation therewith; and a small `continuous sprocket chain 45 is trained around the two sprocket wheels 43 and 44 whereby rotation of the shaft 42a will drive the auxiliary sprocket chain 5. Mounted on the end of said shaft 42a is a pulley 46 on the outside ofthe oven, and driving the same, through a belt 47, is a gear speed reducer 48 operatively connected to the motor 38.

The novel head portions F of the outer ends of the spindles for receiving and holding the cylindrical articles thereon comprise a hub 49 having an integral end disk portion 50 of slightly smaller diameter than the bore of the articles to be placed thereon; and the disk portion 50 is provided with outwardly extending and inwardly curved pilot fingers 51 supported by radially disposed webs 52, said pilot fingers 51 constituting means for guiding the articles in placing them on the spindle heads. Extending inwardly from around the hub are inverted weblike cone segments 53 supporting an annular ring 54 on their ends, said ring having a flange 54a extending outwardly from its periphery and constituting an inner stop for articles pushed on the spindle head. Extending outwardly from the periphery of the hub between the weblike cone segments are three radial screws symmetrically arranged, and

two of them 55 support stationary arcuate clutch shoes 56 on their ends; whereas the third one 57 supports a movable arcuate clutch shoe 58 capable of moving inwardly or outwardly to contract or expand the head portion of the spindle. The movable clutch shoe 58 is slidably mounted on the end of the radial screw 57 and is normally held in its innermost or contracted position by means of a coil spring 59 interposed between the head 60 of the radial screw 57 and the bottom of a cylindrical casing 61 extending from the clutch shoe towards the hub and surrounding the screw 57. A bent lever .62 called the clutch lever) is slidably mounted around the screw 57 and the end of the shorter arm of said lever rests in an annulargroove 63 in the hub near the end disk portion, whereas its other end is provided with a roller 64 adapted to run in a diagonal cam groove 65 provided in a flared out portion 66 of a sleeve 67 slidably mounted on the spindle to the inside of the hub; and the outer end of the groove 65 is provided with a semicircular notch or recess 68 for locking the clutch lever when the clutch shoe is in its outermost position. The inner end of the sleeve 67 is provided with an annular groove 69 having a collar 70 mounted therein which is provided with a radial pin 71 extending from its outer periphery; and mounted in bearings 72 disposed at right angles to the spindle axes in the spindle brackets is a clutch actuating cross-shaft 73 having an arm 74 extending therefrom Whose ends are hinged to the respective pins 71 for actuating the clutch levers. In the construction illustrated, we have shown two auxiliary clutch actuating no cross-shafts for each cross-frame whereby one pair of spindle clutches on each side of the cross- Irame may be operated independently of the other pair for operating the apparatus at half capacity; and the outer end of each shaft is provided with an actuating arm 75 extending therefrom and having a small roller 76 on its end.

Mounted upon suitable brackets 77 extending from the front sprocket chain guides on each sidel of the framework is a vertically disposed arm -78 located a slight distance to the inside of the clutch actuating shaft; and this arm is bent inwardly for a suitable distance along the central portion thereof adjacent to the loading point to form a cam surface 79 adapted to engage the rollers 76 on the actuating arms 75 extending from the clutch actuating cross-shafts. Obviously, the arm 75 upon engaging the roller 76 will cause the clutch actuating shaft to be rotated thereby moving the slidable sleeves away from the hubs and allowing the clutch levers to move inwardly with resultant contraction of the movable clutch shoes inwardly to allow for removal and replacement of articles.

A second vertically disposed arm 80 located 135 below the arm 78 and bent in a reverse manner therefrom is mounted on each of the front sprocket chain guides and constitutes a cam surface 8l adapted to engage the rollers 76 for rotating the clutch actuating shafts in a reverse direction, to

that hereinabove described, for expanding the spindle heads to firmly lock the articles thereon during their travel around the apparatus.

In order to properly seat the cylindrical objects on the spindle heads, a cross-rocker shaft 82 is mounted upon the front lower portion of the framework below the loading point thereof and said shaft is provided with rocker arms 83 having inwardly extending members 84 which are provided with bumpers 85 for engaging and |50 pushing articles on the spindle heads. Provided on one end of the cross-rocker shaft 82 is an upwardly extending lever 86 having its upper end connected to an arm 87 secured to the upper end of a second upwardly extending lever 88 mounted on a suitable side member 89 mounted on the lower portion of the framework. Mounted upon the end of the lower right hand shaft 15 is a substantially triangular-shaped cam 90 engaging a substantially oval-shaped cam follower 91 provided on the side of the second lever 88 slightly below the center and towards the inside of the triangular cam. Holding the oval cam follower against the triangular cam, is a helical spring 92 secured to the end of the front rocker shaft lever 86 and to a bracket 93 extending outwardly from the framework. Obviously, the triangular cam upon being rotated moves the cam vfollower outwardly which rocks the lever 88 against the' action of the spring 92 causing the bumpers to push the articles on the ends of the spindle heads until they strike the inner stop.

Obviously, the construction hereinabove described admits of considerable variation without departing from our invention. Forinstance, instead of using a circular type of conveyer as shown, it may be possible to use a horizontal one; and while we have shown and described our invention in connection with painting apparatus, the construction embodying our invention could be used for other purposes, such as for example, cleaning, testing or assembling articles. Accordingly we do not wish to be limited to the precise construction shown and described.

What We claim is:

l. The combination of a liquid container, an oven associated therewith, endless flexible conveying means passing above said liquid container and through said oven, article carrying members extending from said conveying means in such manner that articles carried thereby will pass below the normal liquid -level of said liquid container and means operatively connected to said article carrying members for rotating them simultaneously and continuously on said convey-- ing means during their entire course of travel.

2. In combination, a conveyer, a plurality of article carrying members rotatably mounted thereon, a common driving member carried by said conveyer and operatively connected to said article carrying members, and means operatively connected to said driving member for continu- `ous1y rotating said article carrying members while said conveyer is in motion.

3. In combination, a conveyer, driving means operatively connected thereto, article carrying spindles rotatably mounted on said conveyergand auxiliary means movable' independently of said conveyer driving means and operatively connected to said spindles throughout their `ranges of travel for rotating them. 4

4. In combination, a conveyer comprising continuous sprocket chains, a cross-member mounted thereon, a plurality of rotatably mounted article carrying spindles extending from said cross-member, a common shaft mounted on said cross-member and operatively connected to said article carrying spindles and means operatively connected to said common shaft for rotating the article carrying spindles simultaneously during the travel of said conveyer.

5. In combination, a conveyer, a rotatably mounted article carrying spindle extending therefrom, a shaft rotatably mounted on `said conveyer and operatively connected to said article carrying spindle, a sprocket wheel mounted on said shaft and an auxiliary sprocket chain movable independently of said conveyer and in engagement with said sprocketv wheel throughout the range of travel of said conveyer 80 for rotating said article carrying spindle.

6. In combination, a conveyer comprising parallel sprocket chains, a cross-frame mounted thereon, a rotatably mounted article carrying spindle extending therefrom, a cross-shaft rotatably mounted on said cross-frame and operatively connected to said article carrying spindle, a sprocket wheel mounted on said cross-shaft and an auxiliary sprocket chain for driving the sprocket wheel for rotating said article carrying spindle.

'7. In combination, a conveyer comprising sprocket chains, power means operatively connected thereto, cross-frames mounted on said sprocket chains, rotatably mounted article carrying spindles extending from each cross-frame, a cross-shaft rotatably mounted on each crossframe and operatively connected to the article carrying spindles extending therefrom, a sprocket wheel mounted on each cross-shaft, an auxiliary 100 sprocket chain for driving the sprocket wheels on each cross-shaft and power means operatively connected to said auxiliary sprocket chain for driving the same whereby the article carrying spindles may bel rotated while the conveyer is moving.

8. In combination, a supporting framework, a pair of parallel shafts rotatablyvmounted therein, a similar pair of shafts rotatably mounted in another portion of said framework and extending substantially parallel to the Vfirst pair, sprocket wheels fixed to each shaft, sprocket chains passing around said sprocket wheels, cross-members mounted on said sprocket chains, article carrying spindles rotatably mounted on said cross-members and extendingl outwardly therefrom, a gear provided on the inner end of each spindle, a cross-shaft rotatably mounted on each cross-frame and having gears mounted thereon for driving the respective gears on the e inner ends of the spindles, a sprocket Wheel mounted on said cross-shaft, a set of sprocket wheels rotatably mounted on each parallel shaft and an auxiliary sprocket chain passing around said set of sprocket wheels for driving each of the sprocket wheels fixed to said cross-shafts provided on the cross-frame members.

9. Painting and drying apparatus comprising apaint tank, a framework placed thereover, a drying oven supported on said framework, a pair of cross-shafts mounted in said oven, a second pair of cross-shafts mounted in said framework, sprocket wheels mounted on said cross-shafts, sprocket chains mounted around said sprocket wheels, cross-frames mounted on said sprocket chains, outwardly extending article carrying spindles rotatably mounted on said cross-frames, an auxiliary cross-shaft mounted on each cross- 'frame and operatively connected to said article carrying spindles, a sprocket wheel mounted on 'each auxiliary cross-shaft and a set of small simultaneously,'said mechanism having an actuating arm, and actuating means operatively located with relation to said conveyer for engaging -having an end disk portion mounted near the outer end of said spindle, a radial member extending fx'om said hub, a clutch shoe movably mounted on the end of said radial member, resilient means for holding said clutch shoe in its innermost position, a sleeve slidably mounted on said spindle inside the hub and having a diagonal cam groove, a bent clutch actuating lever having one end resting on the periphery of the hub and its other end having a roller adapted to run in the cam groove, operating means having an actuating arm and provided on said conveyer for moving said sleeve on the spindle and actuating means operatively located with relation to the conveyer for engaging said actuating arm to operate the movable clutch shoe.

12. In combination, a framework, a conveyer having cross-frames mounted thereon, a series 'of rotatably mounted spindles extending from each cross-frame, an enlarged head portion provided on the end of each spindle, a movable clutch member on each head portion, a clutch operating mechanism on each head portion for moving said movable clutch member, a clutch actuating crossshaft mounted on each cross-frame and having an actuating arm extending therefrom, said clutch actuating shaft being operatively con- 

